Awkward
by aaronlisa
Summary: After the events in All Hell Breaks Loose, the survivors meet in Jo's bar to discuss their next plan of action.


**Pairing/Characters:** Jo Harvelle, Sam Winchester, Ellen Harvelle, Dean Winchester, Bobby Singer

**Disclaimer:** _Supernatural _belongs to Eric Kripke and company.

**Author's notes:** Written for the Jo Harvelle ficathon held on LJ. Set after the second season.

It had been awkward at first when they had arrived at Jo's bar. Sam only had foggy memories of the night that Meg had come here wearing his body when she had tortured Jo and later tried to kill Dean. But they had needed a place where they could make their plans and since the Roadhouse was destroyed, the bar that Jo worked at had seemed the most likely.

Jo hadn't been exactly happy to see him but at least she hadn't pulled a gun or knife on him, meaning that Dean had called her and explained what happened. She was still wary around him and cautious and to a degree it angered Sam more than anything else about being a hunter. Being possessed by a vengeful demon that had tried to kill his friend and brother were clear examples of how he'd never have the normal life that he had desperately craved. The one that he still wanted, even now when he knew he'd never have it again.

Eventually Jo seemed to relax around him; perhaps it was due to the presence of her mother along with Bobby and Dean. He doubted that she'd ever trust him if they were ever alone in the same room.

The war talk was long and tiring, and eventually he was dismissed along with Jo since Bobby and Ellen needed to talk to Dean alone. He knew that it was something to do with about how Dean had brought him back to life. And it pained him that his brother had made such a stupid sacrifice. Still Sam pushed it out of his mind; right now he didn't want to think what was going to happen in a year from now, or what waited for them outside of the safe refuge of the bar that Jo worked at.

Instead he allowed himself to be gently goaded into a game of pool with Jo. He wondered if she ever regretted becoming a hunter, if she ever longed for a normal life too but it wasn't something that he thought he could bring up. So he talked about inconsequential things, and they both avoided mentioning the recent tragedies. How the Roadhouse had been destroyed with several hunters in it, how Ash had been murdered and how Ellen had been lucky to have escaped death.

They both threw themselves into the game of pool and ignored the angry and hushed conversation in the corner. Jo kept throwing glances at Dean, and Sam couldn't help but wonder just how much of Meg's taunting was true. Did Jo really care for his brother? If so did she hate him even more now since it was because of Sam that Dean had thrown his life away.

"Want a beer?" Jo's voice broke through his thoughts.

"Afraid you're going to lose?"

"Don't think it's worthwhile if we're both distracted."

"You're probably right."

He follows her to the bar and slides on to one of the worn stools. She pours the beers and then returns to the outside of the bar and sits down beside him. They remain silent as they drink their beers, both lost in their thoughts about Dean and what happened and how it's going to affect everything.

"I found something the other day in my stuff."

"What's that?"

"Wait a sec," Jo says as she slides off the stool and leaves the room.

She's back before he knows it and she thrusts a photograph at him. Sam takes a look at the faded picture and he can see his dad standing with another man, their arms slung around each other's shoulders. He knows that the man that John is beside is Jo's father.

"Mom told me that they used to be really close."

"Yeah until it all went sideways," Sam bitterly replies.

"Mom and I don't hold John responsible," Jo replies as she looks at her mother before turning back to face him, "Well I don't. Dad knew how dangerous the business was."

"Still doesn't make it right," Sam replies before taking a long pull at his beer.

"You're probably right, but I don't blame you either for what happened. It wasn't you, I know that."

"Jo…"

"No, Sam, let me say this. It's never gonna be the same between you and me. But I figure that Dean's going need all the help he can get in this next year to survive it. And even without that, this war that we've been discussing, it's not just your war. It affects everyone, and we all need to be able to work together."

"Gee Jo, that's real nice but this isn't some fantasy world where we can all be friends. I tried to kill you."

"Anyone ever tell you that you're more stubborn than your brother? Because compared to you Dean's a push over. You didn't try to kill me, a demon wearing your body tried to kill me. The point is I know the risks that I take every day by being a hunter. It could have been anyone of the hunters from the Roadhouse that came in here and tried to kill me because some demon possessed them or they got turned into a monster."

Sam turns away from her but Jo puts her hand on his arm, and waits until he turns back to her.

"It's not going to be easy this next year, so don't be throwing your allies away. I am not going to be inviting you over for any sleepovers where we braid each other's hair and gossip about our crushes. But we need to get over what happened that night if we're going to be able to work together."

"Who says we're going to work together?"

Jo laughs as she rolls her eyes at him. She takes a drink of her beer before she says anything.

"A war's coming Sam Winchester, and we're both on the same side. We're going to be working together whether you, even Mom, or me wants it. There's not many people that trust the Winchesters, too many rumours started circulating about you two, a lot of them from that jerk Gordon, so you're going to need all the help you can get."

She slides off the stool again and walks over to the table where Bobby, Ellen and Dean are. Ellen gives him a look that makes him feel as if she can see right through him, as if she knows what he's thinking. He hates the fact that Jo's right and he's worried that she'll become a target again just like she did with Meg, and just like her mother was. It's the worse part about being a Winchester; all of the people that they love become causalities in a war that they never wanted to fight.

Sam sighs as Ellen makes her away over and he briefly wonders what it is about the Harvelle women that makes them think they need to talk things out. He knows where Jo gets her attitude from and it's from her mother.

"Come on Sam," Ellen states.

"Sure," Sam replies with a smile that doesn't reach his eyes.

"Don't worry I'm not going to lecture you, I did enough of that tonight with your brother."

Both of their gazes fall on Dean where he's sitting with Jo and Bobby making jokes and it amazes Sam that his brother can act normal after everything that's happened. And part of him wishes that he could too.

"You hurt my daughter again, possessed or not, I'll kill you Sam. She's all I've got left," Ellen quietly threatens, her hand tight on his arm.

"Did you warn Dean off?" Sam asks.

"No, I didn't because Dean knows enough to keep Jo safe no matter how they feel about one another."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You think that it was just a random attack against Jo?"

"Yeah, she was the closest," Sam replies his eyes glued on his brother and Jo.

"Sometimes I wonder how you could be John's son. That demonic bitch fed on your jealousy."

"Meaning?"

Ellen sighs as she lets go of his arm and for a moment Sam doesn't think she'll tell him. When she starts talking again, her voice is low and urgent.

"Your jealousy led that demon to Jo. She was attacking you as much as she was attacking Dean."

"Are you saying that I am jealous of Jo?"

"I don't know Sam. Are you?"

"I am tired of your insinuations," Sam angrily states as he turns to face her.

"Your father once told me that you weren't like Dean. That you wanted to have your normal life so badly that you were willing to reject everything else. And it seems to me now that you're forced to be a hunter you're willing to eschew everything normal. Your brother isn't. And maybe that's what your jealous of. That Dean can do what he does and still try to be normal. That it's not always about the hunt with him."

Sam remains silent, his temples throbbing with the headache that Jo's conversation and Ellen's seems to have sparked.

"Dean's made a lot of sacrifices for you. And more than just selling his soul so you could live, he's given up a lot for you. To protect you and to make you feel better about what you do. Jo's probably the only woman out there that he could have a semi-normal life with but he threw that away."

"As if you would have approved of Jo and Dean together," Sam replies.

"She could do a lot worse than Dean Winchester. And it's not him that I don't approve of, it's her being a hunter that I don't," Ellen replies, her eyes on her daughter once more. "So you're saying it's my fault, that they're not together?"

"You're not the sole reason, but you're part of it. You're probably the main reason why Dean's avoided her."

The conversation ends because Sam really doesn't have anything else that he can say to her. What can he say? He knows that Dean's made sacrifice after sacrifice for him, but he really hadn't thought that Dean would throw away his chance at love, or a normal life. He takes another look at the table where Bobby, Dean and Jo are sitting and he realizes that Bobby might not even be there with the way that Dean and Jo are talking. Her eyes are on Dean and Dean is talking to her in a way that he normally reserves for Sam. This isn't about Dean getting into her pants, this is about someone that he respects and values highly. When Ellen joins the trio at the table, Bobby and her start talking while Dean and Jo are still immersed in whatever conversation they were having.

They way that they look at one another makes Sam swear that he'll find a way out for Dean. If only so that he can have a chance with Jo. A chance like Sam had with Jessica. Dean turns to him and gives him a look as if he wants to ask Sam what his problem is and Sam just shrugs his shoulders before picking up his beer and heading towards the table. Ellen and Jo look at him as he sits down and he can feel the weight of their individual judgments on him and he wonders if they're both right.

END


End file.
